Sailing Yacht A: Is this the ultimate super yacht?

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Photos:Super yachts: From A to Quattroelle

An image of what the $450 million superyacht "A" will look like when building is complete. The 143-meter vessel will boast cutting edge technology and a 54-strong crew to look after those on board.

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Photos:Super yachts: From A to Quattroelle

The brainchild of Russian billionaire Andrey Milnichenko, who is worth an estimated $9 billion, it was designed by Frenchman Philippe Starck and has a glass observation pod at the base of the vessel.

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Photos:Super yachts: From A to Quattroelle

Want to make sure your superyacht is at the front of the shipping register? The alphabetically-aware Melnichenko christened "A" so to make sure no boat could appear in front of it.

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Photos:Super yachts: From A to Quattroelle

"A" is at the vanguard of boat design, following on from the 2013-built Solandge. It features a large covered swimming pool and an outdoor jacuzzi. The are three jet skis, two speedboats and a golden staircase centrally on board.

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Photos:Super yachts: From A to Quattroelle

While Solandge has a cinema, Quattroelle houses an art gallery. It also has superyacht staples such as a vast swimming pool, jet skis, a speedboat and a large gym. Oh, and an eight-person spa.

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Photos:Super yachts: From A to Quattroelle

Lit up in the night sky of Nice's harbour is Katara, owned by the Emir of Qatar. A 124-meter bed of luxury, it is one of the most closely guarded secrets on the seas.

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Photos:Super yachts: From A to Quattroelle

A crew of 55 is on board Al Mirqab to look after its 24 guests. Entertainment options include a cinema to more than one outdoor bar, an indoor swimming pool and an outdoor jacuzzi. It belongs to Emir Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, of Qatar.

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Photos:Super yachts: From A to Quattroelle

It is a feature of the Monaco Grand Prix for Force India team owner Vijay Mallya's boat Indian Empress to be moored in the harbor and to host a party or two. There have been rumors Mallya sold the boat but those remained unconfirmed.

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Photos:Super yachts: From A to Quattroelle

A former World War II frigate, it was most famous as the yacht of Aristotle Onassis who revamped it at a cost of $4m and named it Christina O after his daughter. It underwent a more recent $50m refit and can be hired out.

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Photos:Super yachts: From A to Quattroelle

Nirvana is built over six decks with a 7.5-meter swimming pool and a helicopter pad on the sundeck. Much smaller than the other yachts, it can host 12 guests in all with a master deck boasting a smaller pool and private deck.

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Photos:Super yachts: From A to Quattroelle

Eclipse is the motor yacht of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and is a staggering 163.5 meters long. Squeezed into that are two helicopter pads, two swimming pools, a disco, 24 guest cabins and a submarine that can submerge 50 meters.

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Photos:Super yachts: From A to Quattroelle

The first of two entries from Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. With a glass-bottom swimming pool, recording studio and submarine it is the height of luxury but is also loaned out for scientific research projects.

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Photos:Super yachts: From A to Quattroelle

Allen's second-choice vessel is Tatoosh, a mere snip at $100m when he bought it in 2001. It created headlines when the son of the President of Equatorial Guinea hired it for £400,000 so the rapper Eve could perform for him.

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Photos:Super yachts: From A to Quattroelle

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, emir of Dubai, owns this 158-meter monster named Dubai. The maximum 24 guests on board can enjoy the cinema, disco, gym, helicopter and submarine should they so desire.

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Photos:Super yachts: From A to Quattroelle

The ninth largest yacht in the world when built, the Lady Moura has since slipped out of the top 30. Owned by Saudi Arabian businessman Dr Nasser al-Rashid, it houses a pool that can be indoors or out as the weather befits. It famously ran aground at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.

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Photos:Super yachts: From A to Quattroelle

The good news is Serene can be hired, the bad news is that apparently cost Bill Gates $5m when he did so. Owned by Russian vodka tycoon Yuri Scheffler, the build cost $330m.

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Photos:Super yachts: From A to Quattroelle

Built in 1989, this 90-meter boat is in the ownership of the crown prince of Dubai Sheikh Hamdan. At capacity it requires a staff of 71.

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Photos:Super yachts: From A to Quattroelle

Covering eight floors, Topaz is thought to have cost in the region of $500m and stretches to 147m in length. Made in Germany, it's home is supposedly in the Cayman Islands but boasts owners from the United Arab Emirates.

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Photos:Super yachts: From A to Quattroelle

Once in the ownership of Oracle boss Larry Ellison, this boat was formerly known as Katana but now boasts the title Enigma and is owned by Aidan Barclay, the son of British billionaire David Barclay, who owns the Daily Telegraph. Enigma has a top speed of 30 knots.

The A helpfully ensures the vessel is first alphabetically in boating registers.

Photos:Billionaires with bling: Why no superyacht is complete without a million dollar water toy

Photos:Billionaires with bling: Why no superyacht is complete without a million dollar water toy

Water toys to float your boat – For the superyacht owner willing to spend tens of millions of dollars on their luxury vessel, the question arises -- why stop with the boat?As the Monaco Yacht Show launches this week, we take a look at the increasing number of high-tech water toys being offered alongside opulent superyachts.From personal submarines, to walking speedboats, these techy toys will line up beside the mammoth yachts at the prestigious boat show, running from September 23 to September 26. Here are some of the best.

Deepflight Dragon: It might appear like a futuristic racing car, but the Deepflight Dragon (pictured) is a two-person electric submersible able to plunge 120 meters beneath the waves. And it could be yours -- for a mere $1.5 million.

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Photos:Billionaires with bling: Why no superyacht is complete without a million dollar water toy

Iguana Yachts – The fun needn't stop on land, with this eye-catching speedboat able to "walk" out of the water thanks to its two hydraulic "legs."The Iguana Yacht can travel for around 800 meters on dry land and is intended for entering and exiting waterfront properties, rather than extended road journeys.

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Photos:Billionaires with bling: Why no superyacht is complete without a million dollar water toy

Triton Submarine – Less of a toy, this is more a serious deep sea exploration machine. In 2013 the Triton Submarine captured a giant squid on camera, during an expedition to the bottom of the ocean.Available in 11 different models, the sub can plunge anywhere between 300 meters and 11,000 meters under water -- with prices ranging between $2.35 million and $4.89 million.

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Photos:Billionaires with bling: Why no superyacht is complete without a million dollar water toy

Kormaran – It's difficult to pin down what exactly the Kormaran is -- with the flick of a switch it can transform into a monohull, katamaran, trimaran, and even bathing platform for swimming.

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Photos:Billionaires with bling: Why no superyacht is complete without a million dollar water toy

U-Boat Worx – This submersible comes in a wide range of models -- from one to five person vessels, able to plunge anywhere between 100 meters and 300 meters below the water's surface.A heavy duty research sub is also available which is able to dive 1,700 meters underwater and includes increased space for scientific equipment.

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Photos:Billionaires with bling: Why no superyacht is complete without a million dollar water toy

Size matters – As the name suggests, the Monaco Yacht Show isn't just about state-of-the-art water toys. This is where some of the biggest -- and most expensive -- yachts in the world go on show to prospective buyers.

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Photos:Billionaires with bling: Why no superyacht is complete without a million dollar water toy

Water works – This will be the 25th edition of the boat show, with 121 superyachts on display, and over 33,000 visitors expected over three days.

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Photos:Billionaires with bling: Why no superyacht is complete without a million dollar water toy

Luxury line up – The total value of the superyachts on show, is estimated at €3 billion ($3.38 billion).

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Photos:Billionaires with bling: Why no superyacht is complete without a million dollar water toy

Bird's-eye view – Here, a drone offers a bird's-eye view of the luxurious superyachts which this year have an average price of €25 million ($28 million).

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Photos:Billionaires with bling: Why no superyacht is complete without a million dollar water toy

San Lorenzo – There will be 500 exhibitors in Monaco, including Italian shipbuilders San Lorenzo who have been creating luxury yachts since the 1950s. Today, their hefty range of superyachts are able to traverse the planet's most extreme environments. Italy has the largest number of shipyards taking part in the show, with 43% of all yachts hailing from the country.

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Photos:Billionaires with bling: Why no superyacht is complete without a million dollar water toy

Doryan – Dubbed the "Lady in Red" by promoters, the Baltic 116 Doryan harks back to a classic sailboat design. At over 35 meters long, the elegant vessel can accommodate 12 guests.

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Photos:Billionaires with bling: Why no superyacht is complete without a million dollar water toy

Amels – Meet "Madam Kate," the latest offering from yacht builders Amels. The 60-meter-long boat features a pearlescent finish which sparkles in the sunlight.

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Photos:Billionaires with bling: Why no superyacht is complete without a million dollar water toy

Southern Wind – This sleek racer-cruiser yacht, called "Lady G," is just under 30 meters long, and was built by the South African-based Southern Wind shipyard.

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Photos:Billionaires with bling: Why no superyacht is complete without a million dollar water toy

G-Yachts – Italian-based shipbuilders, G-Yachts, will have three superyachts on show, including the 37-meter Harun (pictured). The lavish vessel features two jacuzzis and can accommodate 12 guests.

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French designer Philippe Starck, who also designed former Apple boss Steve Jobs' yacht Venus, has overseen this secretive project.

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Only two computer-generated images of Sailing Yacht were given to CNN, with any further information remaining tightly under wraps while work continues.

"But he is a man to always push the boundaries and to challenge the industries he works with to think out of the box so he can achieve something new and exciting as well as beautiful. Sailing Yacht A is a monument to invention."

Among the innovations on board is a glass hull so guests can view the ocean below, which has been tested at depths of up to 120 meters to ensure it can withstand the necessary water pressure.

There is helicopter landing pad on the sixth floor and the whole system for the boat is operated from the bridge on the floor above. It will need a crew of 54 when the work is complete and it is fully operational.

Island getaway – The world of yacht design has seen some pretty out-there concepts in recent years -- from boats inspired by Lego, to space-age ships resembling a Concorde jet on water. But it's fairly safe to say that nothing comes close to Kokomo Ailand -- the 80-meter-tall private floating island featuring a waterfall, shark feeding station, and two beach clubs.Perhaps most unbelievable of all, is that Kokomo is not beyond the realms of reality. In fact its designers, Migaloo, will be showcasing their plans at the Monaco Yacht Show this week, and have apparently already received "very strong" expressions of interest from clients across the world. We take a closer look at the jaw-dropping design.

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Photos:Designers unveil concept for private floating island

Bird's-eye view – The fantastical vessel is yet to be given a price tag. But as the designs go on show besides multimillion dollar superyachts at this year's Monaco Yacht Show, you can bet it's going to be outside the budget of mere mortals. So what kind of person would actually buy a vessel like this? "An open-minded, visionary owner, who wants to stick out of the mass with his unique design," said Migaloo's Managing Director, Christian Gumpold."They would be a real trendsetter and somebody who loves traveling long distances."

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Photos:Designers unveil concept for private floating island

Floats your boat – When it comes to superyachts -- and their multimillionaire owners -- is there ever such a thing as "over-the-top?" Gumpold thinks not."Clients always demand the extraordinary design, and we as designers try to fulfill their dreams," he said."Large waterfalls, living plants -- these are an upcoming trend on megayachts. We just took these features to another level."

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Photos:Designers unveil concept for private floating island

Water views – To the untrained eye the vessel might bear a passing resemblance to an upmarket oil rig -- albeit one that is a lot more luxurious.The futuristic floating island features a penthouse perched 80 meters above sea level, two elevators, and a jacuzzi with a glass bottom.Should you wish to move the hefty vessel, expect to take your time, with speeds of eight knots."It is more or less a piece of floating land," explained Gumpold. "It can be supported by custom-designed support vessels, as is a trend in the yachting industry right now."So it is like a offshore main basis or hide away, and from there you are free to go anywhere."

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Photos:Designers unveil concept for private floating island

Waterfall welcome – "Living on and with the sea will be a future mega trend -- and the island can be a first step to adapt to this new way of living," explained Gumpold."We've noticed a strong trend towards individualization in the current superyacht market, so we wanted to create something completely new."

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Photos:Designers unveil concept for private floating island

Water world – "The design of the island is inspired by nature," said Gumpold of the vessel which includes a helipad and underwater dining saloon."It's features reflect the beauty of a secret hideaway -- but we interpreted everything in a modern architectural way, without simply trying to copy it."

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Photos:Designers unveil concept for private floating island

Submersible yacht – And what floating island is complete without an extravagant underwater toy to accompany it?The company's submersible yacht concept (pictured) comes in a range of sizes, from 72 meters, up to 283 meters. Gumpold explains that the floating yacht would act as a "mothership," from which this sleek underwater vessels zips you across the ocean.

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Photos:Designers unveil concept for private floating island

Privacy max – But in what ways is a submersible yacht such as this, different from a submarine?"It's way more stable on the surface than a conventional submarine and offers extraordinary large interior spaces," said Gumpold."And all features of a superyacht, like helipads, beach clubs, side balconies, terraces and pools can be added without loosing the ability to dive."Because sometimes, having just one helipad on your floating island, just isn't enough.

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The 143-meter vessel, with masts towering 100m above the water, will have an estimated top speed of 21 knots (39 km/h) and is likely to cause a divide opinion within the boating world when it is launched.

British yacht designer Donald Starkey said: "It is aggressive, like a giant finger pointing at you. It seems to have nothing to do with the whole idea of yachting, which is about cruising around at a leisurely pace, and enjoying your friends and the sea." Meanwhile another sailing expert Peter Mello called it "one of the most hideous vessels ever to sail the seas."

Like Motor Yacht A, it is expected to be very costly to run on top of the considerable initial outlay. Motor Yacht A costs $500,000 to refuel which for Sailing Yacht A has to be done every 5,320 nautical miles.

The magazine wrote: "Andrey Melnichenko is a man with exceptional vision. Where other yacht owners like to blend into the background, he wants his superyachts to push the boundaries of design, creativity and technology as well as make a statement."